Graduation is fast approaching for Beaufort County high schools, and that means caps and gowns, relieved seniors and teary-eyed parents.

While the ceremony itself often can be overlooked in light of the emotional experience of graduation, there are many working behind the scenes to make each graduation go as smoothly as possible.

Penny Paul, an art teacher and graduation coordinator at Washington High School, knows all too well that graduation does not just come together on its own.

“It is a lot of work, but you know, it’s for a good cause,” Paul said.

Paul took over graduation preparation for Washington High School last year. She performs a variety of tasks, from making sure seniors have ordered caps and gowns, to proofreading valedictory speeches, to running a practice in the days leading up to the ceremony.

In the couple of weeks prior to graduation, she estimates that she spends two hours a day preparing. It is easy to see why the process is so time consuming; the list of tasks that must be completed is long, according to Paul.

Washington’s graduation is held outside, but they also have to set up the auditorium as a backup venue in case of rain. Setup includes outfitting both the football field and the auditorium with chairs, bows, signs, balloons and other such decorations.

Since the school has to borrow its stage from P.S. Jones Middle School, custodians help out by transporting the stage to Washington High School as well as setting up more than 200 chairs for graduates and staff, according to Paul.

Further, faculty and staff must verify that all students are ready to graduate.

“We have to make sure all grades have been turned in and that the students have passed all their classes,” said guidance counselor Jennifer Beach.

Counselors’ jobs include verifying students have met graduation requirements and that every name is spelled correctly in the program, Beach said.

Not only do teachers help out, but other students do, as well. Junior class marshals, the 12 juniors with the highest GPA, have several duties, including leading graduates to their seats.

“It’s not just what I do, or what my committee does, it’s really a school-wide effort,” Paul said. “The main goal is just to make sure that the occasion is remarkable because these kids are graduating from high school, and some of them are the first people in their family to graduate from high school, which makes it a great occasion.”